Can you manufacture plus-size, extended-size and curve womenswear?

Yes. We grade to the size chart you supply, including plus and curve grades, rather than carrying one standard rule set upward. Whether a style works in plus sizes depends on the grade rules and the fit base, not on machine capability.

Is plus size more expensive to produce?

Unit cost is usually higher because a plus garment consumes more fabric and marks out less efficiently. How much depends on the panel layout and fabric width — calculate it from a real marker, not by scaling standard-size cost proportionally.

What is the minimum order and how is the size breakdown set?

A small-batch trial starts from about 50 pieces per style, depending on style, fabric and craftsmanship. The size breakdown follows your market's sales mix — we do not impose a size ratio on you.

Do you have plus-size fit forms?

The fit base size is set by the client, and the form is matched to that range. The sound route is to trial one size range in small quantity to validate fit, then scale the sizes that sell.

Can you grade my existing pattern to plus sizes?

We can assess it. Note that if the original pattern was built only on standard increments, carrying it all the way up will distort proportion. We look at the increment table and base size first, then advise whether to extend it or rebuild the plus-range rules.

What if bulk differs from the sample?

The signed pre-production (PP) sample is the acceptance standard, with the fit base size and point tolerances stated. Inspection at the factory or by a third party (AQL 2.5) is welcome.

Plus-Size & Curve Womenswear Manufacturer: Grading, Fit and Minimums

Start with one clarification: plus size is not an extra row on the size chart, it is a second pattern system. Between standard and plus sizes the body's proportions change, and a pattern is built on proportion. Once that is clear, the decisions on grade rules, fit testing, consumption and minimums all follow.

1. Grade rules are not linear: why one rule set will not carry all the way up

Grading means projecting the pattern size by size using increments. The catch is that the increments themselves differ between size ranges:

Bust, waist and hip do not move together. Entering the plus range, hip and waist increments usually need to widen while the bust increment stays flatter. Use one increment for all three and you get a garment that fits at the bust and binds at the hip — or the reverse.
Proportion points have to move, not just grow. Waistline height, dart position, armhole depth and neckline width must be re-placed on the new proportion rather than pushed out by a few centimetres in the old position.
The practical answer is split rules. Common practice divides the size run into two or three ranges (standard, plus, extended), each with its own increment table, with a check at the joins.

What to ask: put the question plainly — "does plus size use the same grade rules or split rules, and can I see the increment table?" A factory that can only say "we grade to your size chart" without being able to describe the rules is usually stretching the standard rule set.

2. Proportion: where the real pattern work sits

The effort concentrates in a few places: shoulder, neck and armhole (avoiding pull when the arm lifts and insufficient sleeve-cap ease), waistline and darts (the shaping points shift with size), neckline and placket (opening proportions change), and hem and slits (movement allowance and exposure risk). For the same dress, the difference between the standard and plus pattern is far more than circumference numbers.

So the tech pack should carry: the client's size chart with per-point specifications and tolerances, a reference sample in the target range, and the base size for fit testing. Choosing the base size correctly sets the direction of the whole size run.

3. Fit testing, size charts and forms

The client defines the size chart, the factory grades to it. Typical ranges run US 14–28, UK 18–32 or EU 44–58 — the exact range and increments follow the client's market, and a factory should not be defining the client's sizes.
The form or model has to match the range. Judging a plus sample on a standard-size form tells you it fits on, not that it fits right. Where possible, agree a fit base with the client.
Fit comments must land in the pattern file, not only on the sample. If changes are not written back to the pattern, a reorder starts from square one.

On acceptance: state the fit base size and point tolerances, and make the approved pre-production sample the single standard. Orders that say only "per size chart" without tolerances generate the most disputes later.

4. Fabric: stretch, drape and opacity

Stretch fabrics stretch further at larger sizes. The same four-way stretch is pulled harder on a plus garment, and insufficient recovery shows up as lateral distortion and garments that grow with wear. Assess recovery at the largest size, not the middle one.
Check opacity at the largest size. Fabric under tension transmits more light; pale and lightweight fabrics in plus sizes should be checked on the largest grade.
Drape versus structure. Woven plus garments lean on panel seams and interlining for shaping; knits lean on the fabric's own recovery. Different routes, different risks.

5. Print and pattern scaling: the detail that gets missed

The same artwork on a plus garment changes its visual scale relative to the body. Checks, stripes and all-over prints often read as too large or misaligned. Decide whether print scale needs adjusting per size range, and for checks and stripes specify matching requirements and permitted deviation. Settle it at sampling and it costs nothing; discover it in bulk and it is a re-cut.

6. Fabric consumption and minimums: where the money goes

Plus sizes use more fabric per garment and mark out less efficiently, so unit cost is usually higher than the same style in standard sizes. How much depends on the panel layout and fabric width — calculate it from a real marker rather than scaling the standard cost up.

On minimums, the common convention is per style, with the size breakdown set by the client's sales mix. At LIUYU GARMENT a small-batch trial starts from about 50 pieces per style, depending on style, fabric and craftsmanship; first samples take about 3–5 days and bulk production about 10–20 days. The sound way to open a plus line is to trial one size range in small quantity to validate the fit, then scale the sizes that sell rather than committing to the full run at once.

7. A short list of questions for the factory

Does plus size use the same grade rules or split rules? Can I see the increment table?
Which base size is used for fit testing, and does the form or model match that range?
What are the point tolerances, and what is the acceptance standard?
Can stretch recovery and opacity at the largest size be tested during sampling?
Does print scale need adjusting per range, and will matching requirements go into the tech pack?
How much more fabric does a plus garment take than the standard size? Quote it from a real marker.

Answer those six and the quotation and lead time become comparable. LIUYU GARMENT grades to the size chart you supply, including plus and curve grades, and can run a small-batch trial from about 50 pieces per style.

Frequently asked

Can you manufacture plus-size, extended-size and curve womenswear?: Yes. We grade to the size chart you supply, including plus and curve grades, rather than carrying one standard rule set upward. Whether a style works in plus sizes depends on the grade rules and the fit base, not on machine capability.
Is plus size more expensive to produce?: Unit cost is usually higher because a plus garment consumes more fabric and marks out less efficiently. How much depends on the panel layout and fabric width — calculate it from a real marker, not by scaling standard-size cost proportionally.
What is the minimum order and how is the size breakdown set?: A small-batch trial starts from about 50 pieces per style, depending on style, fabric and craftsmanship. The size breakdown follows your market's sales mix — we do not impose a size ratio on you.
Do you have plus-size fit forms?: The fit base size is set by the client, and the form is matched to that range. The sound route is to trial one size range in small quantity to validate fit, then scale the sizes that sell.
Can you grade my existing pattern to plus sizes?: We can assess it. Note that if the original pattern was built only on standard increments, carrying it all the way up will distort proportion. We look at the increment table and base size first, then advise whether to extend it or rebuild the plus-range rules.
What if bulk differs from the sample?: The signed pre-production (PP) sample is the acceptance standard, with the fit base size and point tolerances stated. Inspection at the factory or by a third party (AQL 2.5) is welcome.